Flora's Adventures in Wonderland
by MayorMimii
Summary: A Professor Layton parody of Alice's trip to Wonderland starring Flora. (I tried to stick to the original novel's structure, so some chapter's ending may seem random ...) Featuring both major and minor characters!
1. Chapter 1

Flora was getting tired of sitting alone in the Professor's office with no one to talk to. She skimmed through the book he left a few times, but finding it was nothing more than a mundane love story, she immediately left off of reading it.

"For what is the use of a book without crime or murder?"

Just then, she heard something that snapped her out of her early-morning sleepiness. It was the pattering of someone's feet echoing down the hall. At first, there was nothing curious in that, nor did Flora find it strange to hear a man mutter to himself, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!" But when she realized the voice belonged to Clive, she jumped to her feet and dashed down the hall after him with great curiosity, for it flickered across her mind that he was meant to be in prison.

The hall they ran through went on longer than usual, and ended in two elevators that—strangely enough—weren't there before. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough to leap into the one he took, but she did manage to take the other.

As she descended, the elevator began disappearing from view, and Flora had more and more trouble seeing it, so she began having this vague sort of idea that she must be falling.

"Goodness!" She gasped, "after a drop as great as this one, I'd think nothing of tripping downstairs! Luke and the Professor really ought to have taken me on more of their quests, they ought! Why, I wouldn't say anything about it—even if I fell off the top of the university!" (The Truth™)

After a moment's pause, she went on, "I wonder how far I've fallen? I must be reaching the centre of the earth. Let me think…that would be four thousand miles down, I suppose—" (For, you see, she had learnt several things of this sort while studying with Luke. Still, this was not a very good opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as the Professor wasn't there to listen to her.) "How strange it'd be to fall _through_ the earth and end up walking with my head facing down! But I shall have to ask them where I am... For example—'Please, Sir, is this San Grio or Froenborg?'"

Just as she said this, she heard a deafening snap from above and suddenly, the elevator plunged through the air and crashed-landed into a clock shop.

"Well, all I did was ask…!"

Flora wasn't hurt, somehow, so she sprung back onto her feet, dusted her skirt off, and spotted Clive still running outside. Out dashed Flora, who was just in time to hear him say, "Oh, my ears and whiskers, I'll be late to the King's disco party!"

"Disco party?" These words proved to be so strange, poor Flora stopped in confusion and had a double-take at them. This lasted only for a moment, but by the time she snapped out of her daze and turned the corner he ran behind, he was out of sight, and instead she found herself in a narrow hall lit up by a row of street lamps. (I suppose they were full of glowing hint coins.)

"Well, this doesn't look like the other side of the world…" She muttered, walking on and looking about in wonder. Her attention was caught by a small, round table. There was nothing on it but a hatgram puzzle—which she worked on for some time before piecing together a little key.

"Perhaps—Perhaps it belongs to one of the doors in the hallway."

After trying a few, she spotted a tiny door about half an inch high, with a keyhole that would finally fit! Kneeling down to unlock it. She found that it led into the loveliest garden she's ever seen.

"It might even be lovelier than the garden back at St. Mystere!"

Still, it seemed pointless to lay by a door she couldn't even fit her head through, so she returned to the table and was surprised to find a glass bottle with the label 'Drink Me' tied round its neck.

She shook her head, "No, no! It's fine and well to say 'Drink Me' but I'm much wiser than _that_ , little bottle! First, I ought to see whether you're marked 'poison' or not."

She had either heard of or been on enough of the Professor and Luke's adventures to learn a few vital lessons, such as how one ought to hold one's breath upon opening murderous boxes, and if you ever meet your future self, they are most likely an imposter and you are most likely underground. But today's lesson to keep in mind is: if you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison', it's likely to become quite disagreeable.

However, it was _not_ marked 'poison', so Flora decided to sip a bit, and finding it had a delicious taste of cool jello, garlic soup, scotch eggs, black coffee, chamomile tea, French baguettes, shortcake, and tuna fish, she drank it all in one gulp.


	2. Chapter 2

Flora's Adventures in Wonderland (Chapter 2)

"Curiouser and curiouser!" Gasped Flora, so shocked at rapidly growing taller that she quite forgot how to properly speak English, "Poor feet, who'll put on your boots for you now that I'm so far off? It seems you two'll have to manage yourselves without me. But wait—I must be good to them, or they might not walk the way I want. Let me think…I suppose I ought to send them a new pair of stockings every Christmas! In fact, they're to go by postman, and how strange the address would seem!

'Flora's right foot, esq. rug,

Near the desk, (With Flora's love).'"

Just then, she felt the top of her head press against the ceiling, as she was now ten feet tall! As a last resort, she crouched down quite uncomfortably, and sat with her hands round her head for some time in silence. Large tears rolled down her cheeks, for all she could do at this point was cry until there was a lake all round her reaching

halfway down the hall. (She had trouble even opening her mouth to sob.)

In a moment, she heard a pattering of feet in the distance, and hastily dried her reddened eyes to see who was coming. It was Clive strolling back, smartly dressed, with a pair of white kid gloves in one hand and a pigeon blue fan in the other.

When Clive came near her, Flora began softly, "If you please—"

But, upon seeing her, the man jumped up with fright, dropped his gloves and fan, then dashed back into the darkness as far as his legs would carry him.

Flora took up the gloves, and kept fanning herself as she said, "Oh, goodness! How curious everything is today! And just the day before everything went as usual. I wonder if I've been swapped for someone in the night? But if I'm not the same, who am I? Ah, that's the _**grand**_ puzzle!"

"I'm definitely not Aroma; her face is squarish. And I'm quite keen I'm not Lani, for I've solved all sorts of puzzles, and she—Oh!—She's solved _very little_! I'll try and see if I know all the things I used to. Let me think...three times four is two, and six times seven is one, and—oh dear! I won't reach twenty at that pace! Though, the English Table doesn't signify, I'll try Chemistry: London is the capital of San Grio, and San Grio is the capital of Misthallery, and Misthallery—No, I'm certain _that's_ all wrong! I must have been changed for Lani, and I'll have to go and live in that small, dull house without the Professor! Well, I've made up my mind about it: I'll stay right where I am! If they put their heads down call me, I'll simply look up and reply 'Who am I then? Tell me that first.'—but, oh dear!" Flora cried, with another sudden burst of tears, "I do wish they _would_ put their heads down! At least then I'd feel less alone!"

As she said this she looked down at her hands, and was surprised to see that she had put on Clive's white gloves while she was talking. "I must be getting small again...!"

Flora went on shrinking, and soon found that the cause of this was the fan, so she dropped it hastily, and stared at it for some minutes in horror. However, she soon recovered, and went on, "...Well, now that I'm smaller, I'll at least be able to head to the garden!"

But as she said these words her foot slipped, and with a splash she was up to her chin in salt water. (Yes, Flora, you _had_ to jinx it.)

After some swimming in confusion, she heard something splashing about far off in the lake, and she swam nearer to find that it was a snail that had slipped in.

"Would it be of any use, now, to speak to a snail? Only Luke could manage that! Though, everything is so curious down here, I should think it can talk." So she began, "Oh, Snail, can you find a way out of this lake? Oh, Snail!"

Flora thought this was the proper way of addressing a snail since she had remembered reading in Luke's Grammar text book, "A Snail—of a Snail—to a Snail—Oh, Snail!"

The Snail looked at her rather inquisitively, but said nothing.

"Perhaps it doesn't understand English. I daresay it's a French Snail!" Thought Flora. It was during instances like these she was glad she had taken private lessons in foreign language with Pavel.

So she began again, "Oui oui hon hon! Êtes-vous le mal seigneur escargot-sama?" The Snail gave a sudden leap out of the water, and quickly retreated into its shell.

"Oh, I do beg your pardon!" cried Flora hastily, "I suppose you're not so bad..."

"Not so bad!" Shrieked the Snail, "Would _you_ like to be accused of being evil?"

"Well, perhaps not…But, please don't get frustrated, I promise not to repeat it!"

When the Snail heard this, it slowly came back out of its shell and muttered, "Well...Alright. Let us swim to the shore, and I shall tell you my history."

It was time to go indeed, for the ocean of tears was getting quite crowded with the several curious people that had fallen into it. Eager to be the one of authority, Flora led the way, and everyone reached the shore.


	3. Chapter 3

The first question was—of course—how to get dry again with the whole party dripping wet. They all had a consultation about this, which steadily escalated into a large dispute with Flora being the shrillest debater.

Finally the Snail called out, "Quiet down, all of you and listen; I know what to do!Has everyone taken their seats? This is the driest thing I know: 'Archeologist Hershel Layton and his young assistant Luke drove to the town of St. Mystere. The two enter the town and find that most of the population is fond of puzzles and brain teasers, which both Layton and Luke are adept at solving—'"

"Ugh!" Hanna grunted, with a shiver.

The Snail frowned at her, as well as any snail could, "I beg your pardon! Did you speak?"

"Not I!"

"I thought you did," said the Snail, and proceeded after clearing his throat,

, "—'Layton and Luke meet Lady Dahlia and other family members, including Simon, Gordon, and the servants. Before they can discuss the mystery, Lady Dahlia's cat dashes out of the door. Layton and Luke retrieve the cat and, upon returning to the mansion, find it—'"

"Found _what_?" Asked Colby.

"Found _it."_ The Snail turned to him. "Surely, you know the meaning of 'it'."

"Of course I know the meaning of 'it'," said Colby. "What I asked was, what did the two find?"

But without paying any mind to this question, the Snail hurriedly went on, "—Found it surprising that Simon had been murdered and the case was already under investigation by Inspector Chelmy—' How are you all getting on?"

"As wet as ever." A chorus of pitiful voices was heard.

"In that case," said Aldus, importantly rising to his feet, "I move that the meeting adjourn, for the immediate adoption of more energetic remedies—"

"Speak English!" said Grosky. "I don't understand the meaning of half those excessively long words, and, furthermore, I don't believe you do either!"

Hanna cheered.

"What I was going to say was," Aldus went on in an offended tone, " the best way to get us all dry would be to participate in a Curious race."

They marked out a course in the ground shaped as a large top hat. It was very tricky to know when the race was over, as there was no "One, two, three, and away," but they began running then left off when they liked.

However, once they were quite dry again, Aldus suddenly called out "The race is over!" and they all gathered round him, panting, "But who has won?" This puzzle Aldus could not answer without a great deal of thought and a music box, so he sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon his forehead, while the party waited in silence.

At last Aldus said, " _Everybody_ has won, and all must get prizes."

"But who is to give the prizes?"

"Why, _she_ , of course," said Aldus, pointing to poor Flora, and the whole group at once gathered round her.

Flora desperately stuck her hand in her skirt pocket to see what she could give them, pulled out a box of picarats, and handed them round as prizes. There was one apiece all round.

"But she's to get a prize herself, you know," said the Snail.

"Of course." Aldus nodded very solemnly. "What else have you got in your pocket?"

"Only a hint coin."

"Hand it over here."

Then they all gathered round her once more, while Aldus solemnly presented the coin, saying, "We beg your acceptance of this elegant hint coin." And they all cheered.

When he was done with his absurdly short speech, the whole party sat down again and begged the Snail to tell them more.

"You promised to tell me your history, you know," Flora reminded it. Though, it was not as if the story mattered to her, for once it began sharing its dull history there was no way of getting Flora to attend to it.

When the Snail finally caught on, the it barked at Flora, "You are not paying any attention!"

"I beg your pardon—you'd gotten to the fourth chapter?"

"I had _not_!"

"A knot!' said Flora, always eager to be of help, "I-I could undo it, if you like!"

A moment of dumbfounded silence passed, and with a scoff, the Snail crawled away.

"Wait, I didn't mean it!" Flora pleaded pitifully, " _Please_ , come back!"

That only encouraged the Snail to crawl faster.

With no one to entertain the party with stories, they all began walking off one by one and Flora was soon left alone again.

A sick, heavy feeling rose from her chest to her throat, and the girl dropped to her knees sobbing. "Why is everyone always so—so keen on leaving me behind?"

In a little while, however, she again heard a familiar pattering in the distance, and eagerly dried her eyes to look up and see who it was…


	4. Chapter 4

p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; text-align: left;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" It was Clive, strolling back again and hunting about as he went. Flora heard him mumble to himself, "Where can I have dropped them, I wonder?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" When Clive spotted Flora, he called out to her in an angry tone, "Why, Flora, what on earth are you doing here? Run home this instant!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" But she was so desperate to be freed from her loneliness and boredom that she begged to go with him—wherever he was heading. "...Oh, alright," he eventually sighed, "But first, I'll need you to fetch my fan and kid gloves for me before we go."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Eager to help however she could, she ran off in the direction he pointed to, and came upon a house (just in front of a fortress with legs). On the door was a hung brass plate with the name "C. Dove" engraved upon it. She went in without knocking and hurried upstairs./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" At last, she had found her way into a neat room with a table by the window and spotted on it photos of Clive's three or four dead parents, knee socks, a fan and a pair of white kid gloves. After grabbing what he asked her to, she was just about to leave, when her eyes fell upon a tea pot that stood on a tray. It was not labeled, "Drink Me." Still, she poured herself a cup and took a sip out of sheer curiosity./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" The girl had only drunk half the cup when she felt her head pressing against the ceiling, and had to crouch to save her neck from snapping into two. She continued growing larger and larger and was forced to lie down with one elbow pressed against the door, an arm shoved out window, and one foot up the chimney./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "It was much nicer at home," thought poor Flora, "When one wasn't always changing sizes. I almost wish I hadn't gone through that door, and yet, it's rather puzzling—this sort of life! When I used to hear about the adventures Luke and the Professor have gone on without me, I thought that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one! There ought to be a game starring me, there ought. And when I grow up, I'll make one!...But I'm grown up now—at least—there's no room to grow up any more here. But then, shall I never get any older than I am now? That'll be a comfort, one way—never to be an old woman—but then—to always stay 19! Oh, I shouldn't like that!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" After a few minutes of arguing with herself, she heard a voice outside, and stopped to listen./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Flora! Come down here this instant!" Then came a little pattering of feet on the stairs./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Presently, Clive came up to the door, and tried to open it, but as the door opened inwards, and Flora's elbow was pressed hard against it, that attempt proved a failure. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "CLIVE DOVE /spanspan style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"DO NOT/spanspan style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" INTERACT!" She screamed./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Flora heard him say to himself, "Then I'll go round and climb through the window."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "What, can he only speak German?" mumbled Flora, and after waiting till she heard Clive just under the window, she suddenly spread out her hand, and made a snatch in the air. She did not get hold of anyone, but she heard a fall and a crash of broken glass. Next came Clive's angry voice, "Crow! Crow! Zum Teufel!" And then a voice she had never heard before, "Over here."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Here! Please come and help me out of this!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" More shattering of glass, "Don't grab me like that—be gentle!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Now tell me, Crow, what's that in the window?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "An arm, you egg."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "An arm! Who's ever saw one that large? Why, it fills the whole window!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "An arm's an arm, to be sure."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Well, at any rate, it's got no business there!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" There was a long silence after this, and Flora could only hear whispers, then at last, came a rumbling of little cartwheels, and the sound of many voices:/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Where's the other ladder?—Crow's got the other—Crow! Fetch it here!—Here, put 'em up at this corner—No, tie 'em together first—They don't reach half high enough yet—Oh! They'll do well without; don't be particular— Here, Crow! Catch hold of this rope—Will the roof bear?—Mind that loose slate—Oh, it's coming down! Heads below!" (a loud crash) "Now, who did that?—It was Crow, I suppose—Who's to go down the chimney?—Nay, I shan't! You do it!—That I won't! Crow's to go down—Here, Crow! Rich boy says you're to go down the chimney!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Oh! So Crow's got to come down the chimney, has he? Aw, they seem to put everything upon little Crow!"—(He /spanspan style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"is/spanspan style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" their leader)—"I wouldn't be in Crow's shoes. This fireplace is narrow—to be sure—but I /spanspan style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"think/spanspan style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" I can kick a little!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" She extended her leg as far down the chimney as she could, and waited till she heard a boy climbing down the chimney close above her. Then she gave one sharp kick and waited to see what would happen next./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" The first thing she heard was a general chorus of "There goes Crow!" /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Then Clive's voice along—"I'll catch him!" /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Then Crow's voice, "Don't carry me like some princess, rich boy!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "Ow! What'd you kick me for, peasant!?" /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Followed by silence…/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "In any case, what happened to you?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Once again was Crow's voice "Well, I'm hardly sure—all I know is, something comes at me like a Jack-in-the-box, and up I fly like a raven!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "So you did, boss!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "We must burn the house down." Said Clive./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Flora called out as loud as she could, "If you do, I'll grab you and burn you too!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" There was a dead silence, then they soon began moving about again, and Flora heard Crow say, "A barrowful will do."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "A barrowful of what?!" Screamed Flora. The next moment a shower of little pebbles came rattling in at the window, and some of them hit her. She shouted out, "You'd better not do that again!" Which produced another dead silence./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" Flora noticed, with some shock, that the pebbles were all turning into little tea cakes as they lay on the floor, so she ate one of them and was delighted to find that she began shrinking. As soon as she was small enough to get through the door, she hurried out of the house, dashed off as fast as she could, and soon found herself safe in a broad forest./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" "The first thing I ought to do is to find my way into that lovely garden. I suppose I ought to eat or drink something to change my size, but the great puzzle is: what?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" The great puzzle certainly was: what? Flora scanned all around her at the daisies and the blades of grass, but she did not find anything that seemed edible. There was a large mushroom growing near her, so she stretched herself up on tiptoe, peeped over the top, and her eyes met those of a man that was sitting on it, quietly smoking a cigar without paying any attention to her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 16.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"*/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"I hadn't played Last Specter since third grade, so I don't remember much of Crow or the Black Ravens. Even after looking them up, I struggled to write them perfectly in character. Sorry about that…(He's 17 by Unwound Future, right?)/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"*/span/p 


End file.
